Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-01-21
WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

/ ton Territory:
The population Of Washington Ter
ritory is estimated at 100000 people.
This political division comprises an
area of 59,994 square miles, or nearly
one and half times the area of the
State OF New York. OF this area 3,Il4
! square miles are water, most of which
is within the limits of Puget Sound,
leaving 5G,SS0 square miles of land
surface, of which about 20000,000
acres are in timber lands, 5,O0O,000
acres rich alluvial bottom lands, and
100000 acres are prairie and plains
The prairies are adapted to the cul-
tivation of wheat, barley, and other
cereals, and all the fruits and vcgcta-
blcs known to the climates of Ohio and
Pennsylvania. Nearly 100000 tons of
wheat We're shipped from this region
of the Territory to Pacific tide-watcr
during the period covered by this re-
port.
The western portion of the Territory
comprises what is regarded as the
largest body of timber now known to
exist in the world, and, by reason of
the numerous streams cmptying into
Puget Sound (Which is itself vast
harbor, having an extent Of 1864
miles of shore line), the greatest facili-
ties exist for getting out and shipping
this timber; and numerous large mills
are in operation, each of which has
prodigious capacity and large num-
Der of operatives.
The alluvial bottom lands of the
western part of the Territory are cx-
cccdingly rich and fertile, and the eli
mate is such as to promote the raising
of the choicest fruits and vegetables.
Where the land is cleared, in these
bottoms, the production of timothy
and other nutritious grasses is such as
to commonly yield from three to four
tons of hay per acre. In fact, the eli
mate is so mild that pasturage usually
commence in March and lasts till De-
cember. thus making this region the
natural home of the dairy.
Hop culture has been conducted in
the vicinity of Puget Sound on an en-
tensive scale, and with remarkable re-
suits as to the average yield. In
stances are common of an average
yield of over 1900 pounds per acre for
II period of ten or twenty successive
years. Some growers claim to have
raised over $500 pounds to the acre.
There are no worms or lice to affect
this plant, and the failure of the hop
crop on account of vermin during the
past year in the State of New York
has led to the necessity of procuring
hops in Washington Territory to sup
ply the demand in America during the
present year. 1t is believed that the
crop this year will amount to over
10000 bales, or enough to supply
freight for nearly three hundred cars !;
and yet this industry is only in its in
fancy in respect to the area that may
be successfully cultivated.
Very little wheat is raised in the
western portion of the Territory, but
in several counties in the eastern por-
ton Of the Territory the average crop
is reported to be over % bushels to the
acre.
In the western portion of the Terri
tory the winters are so mild that the
protection of trees and vines is never
thought of, and it is very rare that
any are injured.
A very common misapprehension
exists in regard to the climate of
Washington Territory. Is is generally
supposed that this region, which is
nearly in the latitude of Quebec, on
the east coast, possesses winters CORE
spondingly frigid. Therefore I may
be pardoned for reiterating that the
climate in winter is exceedingly mild,
while in summer it is moderately cool
The mean temperature in the eastern
division of the Territory is in summer
70 degrees, and in the winter 81 de-
grecs, while in the western division it
is 63 degrees in summer and 80 in
winter.
AS an illustration of this it may be
stated that flowers often bloom in the
open air i'll the western part of Wash
ington Territory during every month
of the year.
The cause of this mild and euuable
climate is attributable to the ocean
currents and breczes of the Pacific
coast.
The Territory is extremely well Wa
tered by the great Columbia and many
other rivers, and by the various
beautiful inlets from the ocean on the
Pacific coast. The salmon of the Co
lumbia river and Puget Sound have
obtained "A worldwide celebrity, and a
large business is done in canning fish
both on the river and on Puget Sound.
The whole of the tide water of Puget
Sound abounds with food fishes, mol
lusks, and edible algn. Delicious oys-
tiers and CLAIMS are obtained and
shipped to various points on the Pa
cific coast.
The supply of coal for the Pacific
coast is mainly drawn from Washing